Channel 5 has released a first look at its forthcoming six-part thriller, An Impossible Way to Die, which follows two 'incompatible' detectives tasked with solving the mysterious deaths of four guests at a dinner party. In the first-look image, the victims are seated around a table set for a soirée, all dead, with the only clue being a scorpion crawling out of one victim's mouth.
Cast and characters
Emmett J. Scanlan stars as lead investigator DI Niall Conway, while Sharon Rooney plays DS Katie Salter, whose peaceful life is disrupted when she is thrust into the high-pressure investigation. Rooney is known for her role as Rae Earl in My Mad Fat Diary and recently appeared in The Celebrity Traitors. Scanlan is recognised for playing Paul O'Donnell in Paramount+ series MobLand, with recent credits including A Working Man, Gangs of London, and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.
Vigil star Lois Chimimba also appears, alongside Black Mirror's Jonny Lavelle and This Country's Ashley McGuire.
Creative team and release
The series, due to air in 2027, is written by Death in Paradise's Jillian Mannion, with Ciara Conway, David Persiva, Robin Ganderton, and Rowena Johnson. Adam Wimpenny directs, with Mike Benson and Myf Hopkins executive producing for Clapperboard and Amber Howorth serving as producer.
Plot synopsis
The synopsis teases: "Four people sat around a table seemingly set for a dinner party – except they are all dead. The only clue is a scorpion crawling out of one of the victim's mouths." It continues: "Salter is not your stereotypical damaged and tormented TV detective. Smart, diligent, and committed to her family, tensions quickly surface when Salter is partnered with DI Niall Conway, lead investigator on the case."
"Salter's measured, grounded approach clashes with Conway's all-consuming dedication to the job. At first, the two detectives appear fundamentally incompatible. Yet, as the investigation deepens and the pressure intensifies, Conway begins to recognise the value of Salter's empathy, optimism, and instinctive understanding of people."
The synopsis adds: "As the case grows increasingly impossible, secrets are unearthed and conspiracies emerge, lives are put at risk as the detectives race against time to connect seemingly disparate cases and unmask a killer before it's too late." An Impossible Way to Die will air on Channel 5 in 2027.
